The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is extending its prison employment support programme to 37 additional prisons, aiming to reduce reoffending that costs taxpayers an estimated £24 billion a year. The move will give thousands of inmates access to work coaches to help them find employment upon release.
Support for Prison Leavers
The expanded programme follows a pilot already running in 47 prisons, in which 4,161 prisoners participated. Prisons minister Catherine McKinnell said the initiative gives people "a real chance to turn their lives around."
"Prisons must be a place of punishment and rehabilitation. An important part of this is supporting prison leavers into work because a steady job cuts the risk of them reoffending, returning to prison and that means fewer victims and safer communities," McKinnell said.
Public Opinion and Costs
The announcement comes after polling indicated most voters believe rehabilitation behind bars is not working. A report by Community trade union and Serco found 55% of voters think rehabilitation needs to be fixed, more than the 46% who favour longer sentences.
A poll of 1,999 adults by PF Global found 85% agree that a prison sentence should be both a punishment and a means of rehabilitation. The same polling showed 55% want rehabilitation fixed, 46% think sentences should be longer, and 36% think prison life should be harder.
Employment and Training Plans
Employment minister Andrew Western said: "We know that having a job dramatically reduces the chances of someone returning to crime." He added that the support helps prison leavers "find work, earn a wage and build a better future."
One prison work coach, Ali, said: "I've seen first-hand the difference employment can make to someone's life after prison." The DWP also plans vocational courses, including the Future Skills Programme, guaranteed interviews for prisoners approaching release, and an expansion of the prisoner apprenticeship programme.
Analysis published last year by Crest (Insights) Advisory found the cost of reoffending has risen by a third in the past decade, reaching £23.6 billion per year in England and Wales. This is nearly half the annual cost of law-breaking, estimated at £46.8 billion. The consultancy found around 9% of criminals are responsible for half of crime.
